Laser scanning microscope with switchable operating mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9632298-B2
Application number	US-201113825722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2011
Priority date	Oct 1, 2010
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A laser scanning microscope, which is switchable between different operating modes, wherein it contains, for switching in the illumination beam path, an electro-optical modulator (EOM) in a first beam path, which electro-optical modulator has arranged, upstream and downstream of it, adjustable first and second polarization-rotating elements and, downstream of it, at least one first polarization splitter for producing a second beam path, in which light-influencing means are located, wherein one or more of the following operating modes of the LSM can be set:—Single spot LSM—multispot LSM—single spot FMM—multispot FMM—FRAP system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laser scanning microscope which can be switched between different operating modes, comprising
a control unit,
an electro-optic modulator (EOM) located in a first beam path of an illumination beam, for the purpose of switching said operating modes, said EOM comprising one of (i) segmented electrodes differently modulatable by said control unit, and (ii) multiple EOM's that are differently modulatable by said control unit,
an adjustable first polarization rotating element disposed in said first beam path before said EOM, and an adjustable second polarization rotating element disposed behind said EOM, and
at least a first polarization beam splitter disposed behind said second polarization rotating element for the purpose of generating a second beam path, wherein light-influencing means are disposed in said second beam path, said first polarization rotating element being adjustable by said control unit to an operating mode of said EOM.

2. A laser scanning microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the first polarization rotating element is adjusted by the control unit in, accordance with the EOM operating mode.

3. A laser scanning microscope according to claim 1 , wherein a unification of the first and second beam paths is realized via a second polarization splitter behind the light-influencing means in the direction of light travel, and the EOM can be switched between at least two operating modes for (i) uniform switching of the polarization across the illumination beam; and (ii) different modes of phase modulation in different sections of the illumination beam, to generate a focus modulation (FMM).

4. A laser scanning microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second polarization rotating elements are lambda half plates.

5. A laser scanning microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the light-influencing means include a beam splitting into at least two partial beams.

6. A laser scanning microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the partial beams form an angle relative to each other.

7. A laser scanning microscope according to claim 3 , wherein a controllable light shutter is included in the second beam path upstream of the light-influencing means and/or in the first beam path between the first and second polarization splitter.

8. A method for laser scanning microscopy using a laser scanning microscope (LSM) according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the following operating modes of the LSM are used sequentially by adjusting the polarization rotating elements or the operating mode of the EOM: (i) single-spot LSM; (ii) multi-spot LSM; (iii) single-spot FMM; (iv) multi-spot FMM; (v) fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) system.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein a switching between the operating modes occurs in such a manner that a switching to multi-spot mode of the LSM takes place immediately following a bleaching process, or another, preferably single-spot, manipulation of a specimen region.

10. A microscope according to claim 1 , wherein said second polarization rotating element is adjustable to at least one of said first and said second beam paths.

Assignees

• Anhut Tiemo
• Kalkbrenner Thomas
• Schwedt Daniel
• Zeiss Carl Microscopy Gmbh

Inventors

• Anhut Tiemo
• Kalkbrenner Thomas
• Schwedt Daniel

Classifications

• G02B21/0076

  arrangements using fluorescence or luminescence · CPC title

• G02B27/283

  used for beam splitting or combining · CPC title

• G02B21/06 Primary

  Means for illuminating specimens · CPC title

• G02F1/0136

  for the control of polarisation, e.g. state of polarisation [SOP] control, polarisation scrambling, TE-TM mode conversion or separation (G02F1/0353 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B21/008

  Details of detection or image processing, including general computer control · CPC title